Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-06-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lTrom our Regular Correspondent
WAsui>,:ToN. June 10, 1887

IFrom our Regular ccrre-pondent.l
WASHINGTON. June 10, 1887.
The department oi the navy con
sists OF n secretary. vino Is the he'"
thereof. and the chiefs of eight bureaus
who compose hi, council OF ADVISORS
together with IA chief clerk oi the de-
par.ment, a di>bursins clerk, two gen
eral book-keepcrs, besides the chlei
clerks for each Of tho bureaus, ana
the clerical force necessary ana l'roNi-
,led for by law.
The secretary executes such orders
as he receives from the president, rcih-
Tive to the procurement of stores
and materials. and the construction
armament equipment and employment
of vessels of war. us well as all other
matters connected with the naval es-
tablishmcnt. Tic has charge oil all the
books. records, and other property oi
the navy depart mcnt. and the distrl-
button OF the business OF the depart
mcnt among the several bureaus. The
Office nf the secretary, besides the
clerks mentioned. has record ana flle
clerk. IL STATIONERY clerk. n force of re-
cordcrs. IL clerk in charge OF the naval
academy affairs, his personal Htai''
,ompo,cl OF oihi,roiiidential secretary
"A clerk. u messenger in charge of th'
mail. and two other messengers.
The venerable coiored messenger u
charge of the door OF the secretary
!. office, is the ol,le,, public servant still
in the employ OF the government. Ap
pointed during .Iackson's admin'sfri'
ton, he has served during the terms q
sixteen presidents. and twenty-six sec
retaries of the maya total period c
ffty-eisht years and the old man ha
G still IA full possession of his faculties
y and n remarkable memory Tor lace
and persons which has stood INN we
in his official requirements. lie Ia
saved considerable fortune, and liv'
in well deserved comfort in his decli'
ing years.
Very closely connected with the oili
OF sectetary. i, that OF the judge adv
cate general. the head OF which IL
mann officer, with the relative rank
- colonel, whose appointment isior fo'
wears. \ force Of clerks, steno2raphe
3" and tyuewriter- is employed III u
division in the prosecution OF the lee
=. work of the department, such ~
we preparation OF legal forms OF eontra'
nj of suits against defaulting contr"to
,ill of trials by conrts-martial; ana
orinions as to the legality of varo
questions arising in the transaction
/. public business.
The chiefs of the several bureaus
appointed by the president with
adyi,. and consent OF the senate, 10
term OF four years.
The heads OF the bureaus OF yal
and docks. equipment and recruit
navigation and ordnance, must
. officers OF the navy, not below
grade OF commanl Ter; and these
called the live bureaus. because Il
are controlled by live officers oi
navy.
The staff bureaus consist of thos'
construction and repair. whose ei
shall be an officer OF the navy, an
skillful naval lcon-tructor; oi steam
IN. cineerinc. the chief Of which shall
naval and skiliful engineer; oi PR
sions aud clothing, whose head M
ern be a paymaster OF the navy oinot
than twenty years standing an'
medicine and surgery. whose e
must be appointed from among
surgeons IN the navy. These chiel
bureaus all nc'd the relative ran
"A commo(iors srd receive the pay
tached 20 thar grade, and those bel
inc 20 the nra, are so styled; but
e. 7"o4 ''I'rfrn -r'i'